Think on This

 The symbolism of doors or gates is rarely lost on any thinking/breathing human being: they provide entrance to familiar (and unfamiliar) territory, they hold promise of new beginnings, and they excite the imagination as to what wonders might be behind them. To me, capturing the front gate of my new residence through a zoom fish-eye lens has stretched familiar symbolism even further. The globe-li...ke image compels me to think of entering a whole new world - which is truly what I've done recently. My life has changed so much from what it was a mere 2 months ago. I've entered into a world of peace, of sanctuary, of creative freedom, of spiritual expansion, of intellectual growth and restorative healing. I love this gate and the other that I walk through multiple times each day/night. They remind me that though we may exist in one "world" for a time, there is always another world waiting for us where love and light pour forth and we are rejoined with our loving Creator.

Few places call to me in such a deeply restorative way as the Grand Canyon. As I traveled across the country from Nashville, Tennessee to the Western deserts, my only "required" stop was this chasm of colors, sounds, smells, and physical exhileration. Though driving a 20-foot U-Haul truck with a tow dolly, nothing was going to deter me from racing from the entrance gate to Bright Angel trail, one of my favorite descents into this magical place. Of course, cameras were standard equipment, but almost more important was the Native American flute that hitch-hiked down the trail to the spots I knew to be incredibly acoustical in sending the soft songs across the canyon. Gently, the restoration of heart and soul begins.